AP

Titans, Tannehill add pass threat to Henry, stingy defense

Nov 17, 2022, 10:04 PM | Updated: Nov 18, 2022, 12:11 pm

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) celebrates as he leaves the field after the team's...

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) celebrates as he leaves the field after the team's NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

(AP Photo/Mike Roemer)


              Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) throws a touchdown pass that was caught by tight end Austin Hooper (81), not shown, during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Tennessee Titans tight end Austin Hooper. center right, celebrates with teammates after catching a touchdown pass thrown by running back Derrick Henry during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
            
              Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) runs the ball as Green Bay Packers linebacker Kingsley Enagbare (55) and others attempt to make the stop during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel challenges a call during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
            
              Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) celebrates after sacking Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
            
              Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) celebrates with fans after the team's NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
            
              Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) celebrates as he leaves the field after the team's NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
            
              Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) throws a pass under pressure from Green Bay Packers linebacker Preston Smith (91) during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Keep ignoring the Tennessee Titans. Coach Mike Vrabel and his team seem to thrive on adversity, and now they’ve found the one piece of the puzzle that’s eluded them much of this NFL season.

The passing game.

The Titans (7-3) improved to 10-2 in games played on short rest since Vrabel took over as head coach in 2018, this time beating the Green Bay Packers 27-17 on Thursday night in a game Tennessee never trailed. They did it with the best passing performance this season to go along with Derrick Henry and a physical defense.

“We played the game the way we wanted to play,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said.

The Titans played without starting center Ben Jones and put a 15th player on injured reserve hours before kickoff. Yet they still dictated the tempo from the opening possession, blocked an extra point attempt to preserve a 7-6 lead after the first quarter and never let the desperate Packers get closer than a field goal.

The two-time AFC South champs have won seven of eight with the one loss in overtime at Kansas City with rookie Malik Willis filling in for Tannehill. Of those three losses, two came by a combined four points.

WHAT’S WORKING

The offense turned in its best performance this season with Tannehill throwing for a season-high 333 yards and two touchdowns. In his second game back from a sprained right ankle, Tannehill completed passes to eight different receivers. The Titans had five plays of 31 yards or longer.

Treylon Burkscaught seven of eight passes for 111 yards for his best performance as a rookie in his second game back from injured reserve. Henry even threw the third TD pass of his career, including the playoffs.

“I call myself a young Peyton Manning,” Henry said, with a smile.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

Kicker. Randy Bullock hurt his right calf in warmups just before the Titans’ win over Denver. That forced the Titans to sign veteran Josh Lambo to the practice squad Tuesday before promoting him to the active roster Wednesday. Lambo connected on three of four extra points with one hitting the right upright. He only put one of four kickoffs into the end zone.

STOCK UP

Henry. The two-time NFL rushing champ is the first NFL running back to reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark this season. He joined Walter Payton (1983 against the Saints) as only the second player in the Super Bowl era to post a game with at least 20 rushing attempts, two pass completions and both a rushing and passing TD.

Henry also became the fifth player in NFL history with at least 10 TDs rushing in at least five straight seasons. He joined LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Shaun Alexander and Michael Turner. Tomlinson, Peterson and Alexander all won the AP NFL MVP once.

STOCK DOWN

Offensive coordinator Todd Downing. He has been an easy target for fans unhappy at an offense ranked last in the NFL, averaging just 281.7 yards per game. Hours after the big win, Downing was arrested early Friday morning for speeding and driving under the influence before being released on a $2,500 bond.

“It’s something that we are going to take very seriously,” Vrabel said. “We are going to gather all the information that we can, figure out what the next step is and do our best to move forward.”

INJURED

Jones needs to clear the concussion protocol. OLB Bud Dupree missed his fourth game with an injured hip. CB Kristian Fulton, who missed the Denver win, couldn’t finish this game with a nagging hamstring injury.

Sack leader Denico Autry, who blocked an extra point in Green Bay, had tests Friday on an injured knee that knocked him out of the game. Vrabel said he had seen Autry already on Friday. The lineman will miss some time, but Vrabel said, “Denico usually finds a way to get back sooner rather than later.”

KEY NUMBER

7 — The Titans are the only NFL franchise to win at least seven of their first 10 games in each of the past three seasons. They started 7-3 in 2020 in reaching the AFC championship game and 8-2 last season en route to earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

NEXT STEPS

A long weekend off. A team that had a bye Oct. 16 during the NFL’s first bye weeks needs to heal up before a rematch of their divisional loss in January with Cincinnati visiting on Nov. 27.

___

Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

___

AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Titans, Tannehill add pass threat to Henry, stingy defense